IPL 2025: 5 MI costly flops who might not find a buyer next season

Mumbai Indians were chasing their sixth title in IPL 2025 and in order to do that, they spent with their hearts and purses. They went big on quite a few players, which they had in their mind to form the team of their dreams. However, some of these signings just did not pay off the way they would have wished. 

T20 cricket’s auction theatre is a high-stakes drama where every rupee is under the spotlight. For the Mumbai Indians, IPL 2025 was a stark reminder that big names and bold bids are only half the battle—consistent, match-winning output is what truly counts. Missed chances all underscore a harsh truth: if your performances don’t resonate on the field, even the most eye-watering price tag can’t save you from the scrap heap. As MI braces for 2026, these five players will need to rebuild reputations—or risk going unsold.

1. Deepak Chahar 

The Mumbai Indians would have an unheard-of Bumrah-Boult-Chahar combo, which any T20 tournament had never heard of. Therefore, Chahar was a perfect acquisition for their bowling lineup. Any team would be terrified to oppose such a lethal bowling attack, but unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Despite spending ₹9.75 crores on Deepak, he was a complete failure, taking only 10 wickets in 12 games at an economy rate of 9.31 rpo. He was useless everywhere save for the first powerplay and would just be leaking runs.

2. Will Jacks 

At the top of the order, blue was hailed as the all-around solution, but the Englishman was never able to establish consistency in it. England's hard-hitting all-rounder, who was signed to give Mumbai's top order more power, showed promise with a single half-century, but his effect was lessened by inconsistent play.

At an unsatisfactory strike rate of 135.46, Jacks scored 233 runs in 11 innings, and too many starts ended before he could gain traction. MI expected consistency and fireworks for a ₹5.25 crore investment, but instead, they got intermittent brilliance that frequently left the middle order reeling.

3. Mujeeb-ur-Rehman 

The original plans for the team did not include Mujeeb at all, and Allah Ghazanfar, who was purchased for ₹4.8 crores, was supposed to handle the spin department. However, he was injured and missed the tournament.

Therefore, even though he took a wicket in the game, Mujeeb, who was called in as a replacement, was unable to impress the squad with his performance. After that game, he had no opportunities and probably won’t be finding any in the next season too.

4. Robin Minz 

Even MI’s more modest investments must pay dividends—and Minz represented a calculated bet on Jharkhand’s explosive gloveman. Yet despite featuring early, he never looked comfortable, failing to capitalise on chances when handed the gloves and lower-order batting role. While ₹ 65 lakh pales next to MI’s headline splurges, the franchise’s decision-makers prize every squad spot, and Minz’s inability to stake a claim saw his value evaporate almost as soon as he arrived.

5. Reece Topley

Although Reece Topley was not an expensive buy, he sure did not have a great season either. He was bought as the backup option at the mega auctions and was not really used until the dire situation arose. 

When Deepak Chahar was injured and could not feature in the Qualifiers, Topley was given a chance to play, but he messed it up. He gave away 40 runs in just three overs in a crucial match and could not help the team’s cause. The chances of finding a team for him in the next season took a nosedive with that game.

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